Disclaimer:I don't own the characters but I wished I did. Just think of the money I could be making! Sorry NBC. I had to say it. They are owned by NBC in case you didn't know that. I also don't own the songs or poem. The poem belongs to Lord Byron. The songs are owned by Heart and Aerosmith.
It was Valentine's Day. Jarod didn't have date so he decided to send Miss Parker a message.
Miss Parker enters her office to find an envelope addressed to her. She opens it, not knowing where it came from, begins to read it.
She walks in beauty like the night
One shade the more, one ray the less,
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
Signed a secret admirer
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meets in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face-
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent.
Broots and Sydney walk in as she finished reading it.
"Any news on Jarod?" she asked.
"No. Have you heard anything?" Sydney replied.
"No." she answers.
"Maybe he has plans for Valentine's Day." Broots said.
That was something she didn't want to hear. Jarod having plans and she didn't. "Maybe." she replied softly.
Sam enters her office. "Miss Parker, this came for you."
"Thanks." she says as she takes the package from him. She opens the package to see a box of candy inside with a card.
"Candy." Broots said as his eyes opened wide.
"Here Broots." she says as she hands it to him.
"No. I couldn't." he says.
"Who's it from?" Sydney asked.
She read the card. "From my secret admirer." she answers.
"Miss Parker, has a secret admirer." Broots says lowering his voice.
Parker glared at him. He turned quickly and said, "I better go." He left in a hurry.
"I wonder who it is?" Sydney asked.
"I sure it is some sick joke." she replied. She heads out her office. Sydney follows her out.
Later in the afternoon, Parker returns to her office to find yet another gift waiting on her. She walks over to her desk. She quickly opens it, to find a red rose with sexy lingerie and a note. That reads...
Meet me at 514 Baker St. at 7:00.
Your secret admirer
She smells the rose and wonders who it could be. She pictures a nice good looking man with sandy blonde hair. Broots and Sydney and walk in. She quickly puts the linerie back in the box and gathers her thoughts again.
"Another gift, Miss Parker." Sydney says.
"If yoou must know, yes." she replies.
"What did you get?" Broots asked while taking the box off of her desk.
Parker says, "Broots, give me that!"
He opened the box and pulled out the lingerie. He turns red and hands it back to her.
Sydney picks up the note and reads it. "Don't tell me you are considering meeting with this person."
"I might. Besides I am a big girl. I can take of myself."
"You not know what kind of person this is." Sydney says.
"His right." Broots replies.
"And what are you two doing for Valentine's Day?" she asked. They looked at each other and back at her. "That's what I thought." she replied. She gathered her things and left.
"Miss Parker, wait." Broots yelled. She turned around. "Be careful."
"You sound like Sydney now." she answered and walked out.
**********
It was 7:00. Parker walked in and sat down at her table. She looked around to see if she recognized anyone. Jarod was watching her from a distance. He waited a few minutes and walked over to her. She looked up and saw him standing there.
"Jarod, you have some nerve." she said as she reached toward her back. Then she remembered her gun was at the house.
"I know you are not carrying a gun. You couldn't hide it in that dress." he said looking at her.
"Is this some kind of sick joke you are playing on me?"
"I would never play a sick joke on you, Miss Parker. I just thought we could sit down to a nice dinner and conversation together. You should know that about me." he answered as he sat down across from her.
She looked at him and said, "Okay, why did you go to the trouble of the secret admirer stuff?"
"Would you have come?" he asked.
"No...well...maybe." she answered.
"Let me put it this way. Would you have come to relax or to bring me back?" he asked. She didn't answer. "That's what I thought." he said. There was a pause. "Are you wearing the lingerie that I send you?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" she answers raising one eyebrow.
They talk over dinner. When it over Jarod says, "Will you go with me? I'm not through talking with you, yet. If you don't mind." he quickly adds.
She looks at him and says, "I would love to." She has decided she can trust him now. They leave their table and he walks her out.
"Do you mind if I drive you there?" he said.
"I don't let anyone drive my car." she says.
"But you don't know where we are going?" he replied.
She looked at him and answered softly, "Okay." She handed him the keys.
He helped in the car, like a gentleman does, and goes around to the driver's seat. He takes off.
As he is driving, he reaches for the radio. He turns it on and hears....
I've been lonely
You've been hiding
What about Love
I've been waiting for you
I'm pretending
An that's all I can do
The love I'm sendin'
Ain't making it through to your heart
Never lettin' it show
Always trying
To keep it under control
You got it down
And you're well on your way to the top
But there's something that you forgot
Jarod glances over at her. She did look beautiful. He goes for her hand. She pulls away and looks over at him, "What are doing?"
"I'm sorry. I was going for the radio." he said quickly. 'That was a close one.' he thinks to himself.
"Well, the radio is over there." she said pointing the other way.
"You're right. Sorry." he said again. He goes back to listening to the song.
Don't you want someone to care about you
I can't tell you
What about love
What about love
Don't let it slip away
What about love
I only want to share it with you
You might need it someday
What you're feeling inside
And I can't sell you
What you don't want to buy
Something's missing
You're gotta look back on your life
You know something here is just ain't right
Jarod says, "This song is right."
She looks at him with a look at that could have killed him. She turns her head and thinks about what he just said. 'He was right. She hated it when he was right.' She turns back toward him and says, "How much longer?"
"We are almost there." he said. He pulls up to a nice apartment building. He gets out and goes over to her side and helps her out. As they walk up the stairs she takes his hand. He smiles, knowing he got through to her in the car. He unlocks the door. She goes in and looks around.
"I see you are doing well, on this pretend." she says.
"I am not pretending, tonight." he answers. "Have a seat."
She sits down on the couch. He looks out the windows. "Are you afraid I had us followed?" she asked.
"No, just habit." he answers. "Why, did you?"
"I guess you will know sooner or later." she answers looking over at him. She takes off her jacket.
"Here, let me help you with that." he says taking her jacket. He puts her coat up and turns on the radio.
"More music." she says.
"I find it relaxes the soul." he replied.
"Jarod, what do you want?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why did you bring me here?"
"I thought we could talk some more. I really enjoyed your company tonight, that is, when you finally relaxed."
She rolls her eyes and glanced back over to him. "Okay, what do you want to talk about?"
"I don't know. You start."
"This is ridiculous. I'm leaving." she said as she got up.
"You can't."
"And why not?"
"Because I have your keys." he said as he dangled them in the air.
She sat back down. A song begin to play...
I'm alone
Yeah I don't know if I can face the night
I'm in tears
And the cryin' that I do is for you
I want your love let's break the wall between us
Don't make it tough I'll put away my pride
Enough's enough, I've suffered and I've seen the light
She looked over at him and said, "Jarod, will you dance with me?"
He walks over to her and takes her hand. "I would love to." he answered. He pulled her close to him and they moved to the slow song.
You're my angel come and save me tonight
Don't know what I'm gonna do about this feeling inside
You're my angel come and make it alright
You're my angel some and save me tonight
Yes, it's true loneliness took me for a ride
Without you love I'm nothing but a begger
What can I do?
I'm sleepin' in this bed alone
She laid her head down on his shoulder as they moved slowly. He held her closer. She looked up at him and kissed his lips. Then she quickly pulled away. "I'm sorry." She headed for the door.
"Wait."
She turned back. "Please stay." he said.
"I can't."
"It's late. I don't want you to drive when it is this late." he said as he went over to her.
"Jarod, are you telling me you are worried about me?"
"I worry about you all the time." he said. He took her hand and lead her back. "You can have the bed."
"No, It's your bed."
"Then, why don't we both take the bed?" he said as he look up into her blue eyes. She looked at him funny. He could tell that didn't come out right. "I mean, we can share it. You know, different sides."
"It's okay, Jarod." she replied as she interupted him. She looked around and said, "Do you have something I can sleep in?"
"Oh, yes. I will get you something." He took off toward the bedroom. He came back with his pajama top. "Will this do?" he asked handing it to her.
"Yes. Thank you but what are you sleeping in?"
"The bottoms." he answered. She looked at him and he quickly said, "Oh, you can change in there." he pointed toward the bathroom.
"Thanks." she said again and headed that way. When she came back out Jarod was laying in the bed. She walked over to him and got in. She kept her back toward him.
Jarod said, "I want to thank you for a lovely evening. I had a nice time."
"Same here." she said.
"One more thing before you go to sleep."
"What?" she answered hoping he would shut up soon.
"I want you to know that I do love you and care for you."
Her eyes opened wider and she pretended she didn't hear him. "Good night." she said.
"Good night." he responded. He rolled over and stared at the wall a while before falling asleep.
**********
The next morning Jarod woke to Miss Parker's head on his chest. Her arms were wrapped around him as his was around her. He pushed her hair back from her face and watched her sleep. She looked so innocent about the truth. As he went to touch her face softly she woke up. She looked up at him and said, "What time is it?"
"8:00. Why?"
"I have to get going."
He grabs her arm and says, "Stay a little longer."
She looked into his eyes and said, "Jarod, if I understand you correctly, you are lonely."
She saw right through him. "No, I just miss your company." he quickly said.
"Okay, if I stay a little longer what do you want to talk about this time? I thought we said everything last night."
"There is something else."
"What?" she asked.
"Love."
"Here we go."
"What?" he asked.
"I knew you were up to something. Can't you talk to Sydney about this?"
"I could but the last time I did I got confused." he said as he looked into her eyes.
"What do you want to know?"
"How do you know when you love someone?" he asked.
She looked at him. She knew he got her. "Well....well...it's hard to explain." she said not knowing how to answer him since she didn't know herself.
"Does you heart pump faster when you see them coming toward you or does it feel like butterflies in your stomach?"
"I guess so. Yeah. Why has someone made you feel that way before?"
"Yeah...you." he answered softly.
"Oh, come on Jarod. I sure you get that feeling when you see me coming toward you, thinking I am taking you back." she said turning her head from him. She was hoping he wouldn't notice her face.
Jarod moved closer to her. He turned her head to where their eyes meet. "Do you feel that way?"
"Come on, Jarod."
"Tell me."
"No." she said. She looked deep inside his eyes. He kissed her lips. This time she didn't pull away.
"Let me show you what love is." he whispered in her ear.
"You, show me. Come on, Jarod. I beleive I am a little more experienced than you." she replied.
"I'm not talking about sex. I am talking about love. I believe I have had more experience than you on that subject." he replied. He was right. She has never felt loved, not even by her father.
"Okay genius, show me what love is." she said sarcastically.
Jarod kissed her lips again and held her in his arms the rest of the day.
********
The next day Broots and Sydney walk into her office. "It's about time you show up. We thought something bad had happened to you." Sydney replied.
"I told you that I am a big girl and I know how to take care of myself." she replied turning her chair around to face them.
"Well, did you have a nice time?" Broots asked.
"Yes, I did."
"Well?" he asked again.
"Well what?" she answered.
"Are you going to tell us about it?" Broots asked.
"I don't kiss and tell." she replied. "Now, don't you two have work to do?"
Broots looked over at Sydney. "Yes. I believe I do." he said as he headed out the door.
Sydney walked over to her and said, "Are you feeling okay?"
"Yes, why?"
"Because you look different."
"I'm fine. Now get out!" she yells.
"I'm going. I'm going. But if you want to talk you know where I am."
"Bye, Syd." she said as she turned her chair around and looked out the window again. Her phone rang. "What?" she answered.
"I see you made it home okay." Jarod said on the other end.
"Yeah. What are you doing?" she asked.
"Thinking about last night. And you?" he replied.
"The same." she answered.
"Well, I better go before you start tracing this call."
"Jarod, wait."
"What?"
"I want to thank you for showing me how to love someone."
"You're welcome."
"Wait. There is one more thing."
"What?"
"I love you too." she said softly. She thought she would never hear herself say those words to someone.
Jarod smiled. "I want to thank you for showing me somethings last night too." he replied.
"You're welcome." she said smiling. "Can I ask you one more thing before you hang up?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"Can I see you again?"
"I bet I can arrange that." he answered softly. "Bye." he said as he hung up the phone.
"Bye." she said as she dropped the phone from her hand slowly. She stared out her window again before finding Sydney.
The End!